Shinyo

Elsa wished the boy would hurry up and reach Doloma. She wanted to get back outside. At last, in the early evening, Lotus reported the news.

The boy has reached the town. He has gone into a house on the north side. I can lead others here when the time comes.

Elsa relayed the news to Heinrick.

Heinrick shook his head. "Of course we should ask Fenris to send people there, but it will no doubt be too late. Unless you want Lotus stationed there for several days, I'm sure they will flee."

Elsa nodded. "Was there any value in tracking him then?" she asked.

"Yes. It's worth knowing where he went. We can follow up with the townspeople. Is the boy a resident or a transient? Who is he associated with?" He smiled. "Also, the look on that woman's face made it worth it."

"I'm ready to go back outside," Elsa said.

The procession paused as the pair exited the carriage. Elsa's queen's own guard captain met her before she had walked twenty paces.

"Your majesty," he said quietly, "your guard respectfully requests the right to ride at your side."

Elsa stood in place as she took a breath. She didn't feel it was necessary, but that was almost always the case, and she couldn't say no. "Granted," she said without looking up. By the time she and Heinrick had reached their horses, the entire group of fifty men was bunched around them. Elsa met Heinrick's eyes and gave a resigned shrug.

"It's okay," he said. "I'll reallocate some of our men to the rear."

Once all the rearranging was done, the procession resumed. A minute later, Heinrick called back to the sergeant who had led the charge into the woods. "Mackie!"

The man maneuvered his horse alongside Heinrick's. "Sir?"

"How is our guest?"

"Bit-" The sergeant glanced past Heinrick at Elsa and Ambrelle. "Cantankerous, sir."

Heinrick responded with a knowing smile.

"You should know, sir," the captain added, "that the woman has a permanent tremor of some sort. Perhaps a palsy. Perhaps just age. But there's no way she took that shot."

"Really?!" Heinrick remarked in surprise. "You're saying it was the boy? That's a heavy-duty crossbow."

The sergeant shook his head, perplexed. "It doesn't add up for either one of them, sir."

"Perhaps they worked together?" Elsa offered. "Or perhaps they perched it on a log or some such?"

The two regarded her. "I suppose it's possible," said Heinrick. "It would have taken some serious advance planning to have that all positioned ahead of time."

The sergeant was being quiet but she could tell he wasn't buying it. She didn't blame him. It seemed unlikely to her as well.

Heinrick said, "well if the boy is a crack shot, we may be able to find him based on his reputation."

At that moment, Lotus glided in from the east, banking around Heinrick and the sergeant to land on Elsa's proffered arm. "Welcome back, little one," Elsa said. "It appears the boy you were following might be a good archer."

Heinrick addressed Lotus directly. "If he turns up at an archery event, will you recognize him?"

Unlikely. He too was wearing a hooded cloak which he kept raised. I only caught partial glimpses of his face and that was from a distance.

Elsa's shoulders sagged in disappointment. "Lotus says the boy was wearing a cloak like the woman, and he only caught glimpses of his face."

I will recognize him when he's fleeing, Lotus informed her sardonically. Elsa smiled, but didn't share.

Heinrick sighed. "Well, I guess we'll have to see what Falster can glean from our guest."

They didn't have much farther to go. They were already traveling along the narrow valley that would soon broaden at the Falster capital with the castle on the north side of the city. Lotus took to the air where he settled into a circular soaring pattern a hundred yards above the traveling group. Everyone remained much more alert, but with Lotus overhead, Elsa no longer felt tense.

As they neared their destination, their entourage broke apart into its respective groups: one for Arendelle and one for Falster. Heinrick remained with Elsa, and they retained the wagon with the prisoner since the attempt had been on Elsa's life. An hour later, the trees parted and the imposing drab castle stood before them with its sheer face punctuated by the single small balcony above the main entrance. Elsa could see an ornately dressed woman with black hair standing on the balcony, obviously one of the guests who had preceded them. Around the large courtyard stood the outer wall with its occasional turrets. The wide north gate was open. As Elsa passed through it at the center of her retinue of guards, the first place she looked was to the monument at her left. The last time she had seen it, Lotus had been lost to her. Should I take it down? It seemed like an obvious answer, but she lingered on it. There were monuments to the living just as there were monuments to the dead, and it was still true that Lotus had played an important role in what had happened here. The difference now was that it was a symbol of perseverance and triumph, not a symbol of loss. Perhaps just a change to the base. She would think on it more at another time.

Hermod stood at the head of a group of livery yard staff. As they reigned their horses to a halt, the staff swirled out to meet them. Heinrick was the first one down. He extended a hand to Elsa as she dismounted.

"Thank you," she said with a smile.

"Welcome, friends!" Hermod said with broad enthusiasm. "His majesty will be down shortly to greet you. Now let's see..." His eyes jumped from person to person as he silently ticked off a count. Ambrelle had come up to stand at Elsa's side. "Looks like around fifty guards, a captain, and then the three of you -"

"And a prisoner," Heinrick added.

Hermod's eyebrows rose in surprise. "A prisoner?!"

"An attempt was made on Elsa's life as we traveled."

"No!" The color drained from Hermod's face as his mouth dropped open. "In Falster?"

"Yes. Not far from the border; west of Doloma."

Hermod gave a scowl. "His majesty will not be pleased." He turned to one of the staff standing next to him and said, "Milo, please fetch a guard detail." The man gave a nod and hurried off. Hermod cleared his throat. "Your majesty, as a guest of honor, space has been prepared for you in the castle. May I ask how many will be in your retinue?"

"Four, besides myself," she replied. She grinned at Heinrick and Ambrelle. "You two have to help guard me," she quipped. Heinrick looked amused; Ambrelle looked overwhelmed. "For the time being, I'll be keeping some of my guards with me," she added.

Hermod nodded grimly. "I understand completely, your majesty." He gestured towards the castle door. "After you." The smaller group began their short trek in that direction.

? - ? - ?

Elsa sensed the peculiar notion from Lotus. It was surprise, but also perplexity. Lotus? Is everything alright?

An unexpected downdraft.

Oh. She was going to have to get used to things like this, apparently. Does that happen often?

No. There was a sense of irritation in his response, as though he had lost a race because his performance had not met his own standard.

She smiled slightly. It was good to know her thoughts wouldn't be interrupted by things like that often. She glanced about, wondering what might be different in the aerodynamics of this valley that would have taken Lotus by surprise.

Another! Something is amiss, Mother.

Her smile vanished. "Halt!" she called to her guards. Come to me, now! She took a second fleeting look at their surroundings, trying to spot anything unusual, and then watched nervously as Lotus flew in, darting from point to point as though drawing a random dotted line through the sky. There were remarks of astonishment among the Falster yard staff as they watched him fly. It reminded her, in a way, of watching fireflies at night: the way they would disappear in one spot and reappear in another. He landed on her arm and she pulled him protectively against her chest. "Be on guard, men," she said as she looked about again. "Something may not be as it seems." They resumed their procession to the castle, everyone now on edge.

Hermod was surprised. "You made a new one?"

Elsa's chuckle was tense. "No. It's the same one. It's a long story." She returned her attention to Lotus. What do you make of it, little one?

Those downdrafts would have grounded a normal bird. There's a breeze but it's not turbulent enough to be unpredictable. There aren't enough temperature gradients to explain it. And we aren't close enough to the sides of the valley. There's no explanation. Something is off, but I don't know what.

Elsa's tension was back. If Lotus was concerned, so was she. After a moment's thought, she looked down at him and said, "I want you to stay with me."

I can't protect you from here.

Mother's orders. I don't want you to be someone else's trophy.

Only yours?

That stung. She stopped mid-stride, looking down into his bottomless blue eye, his cocked white head. She sighed. "I'm sorry, little one," she said. "Do what you must. Just ... don't make me worry." She released him back into the sky.

Fenris rushed out the castle door just then, breathless. "Queen Elsa!" he said. "I'm so sorry to be late for your arrival. There are just so many people coming and going at the moment, I can hardly keep up!"

Elsa smiled warmly. Although he appeared flustered, he also appeared more poised than she had seen him a month and a half ago. It seemed he had settled in a bit. "No apology necessary, king Fenris," she said. "I well remember the craziness of my own coronation." And I was shielded from the bulk of it.

He straightened smartly and with a bow and a left-handed wave towards the door said, "do come in." As the wary group passed through the door, he elbowed his way through the guards to stand at Elsa's left. "What's with the guards?" he asked.

Still a bit too blunt. That would come with time. "We ran into a little trouble on the way here," Elsa replied casually. "An old woman and a boy took a shot at me just over the border."

Fenris stopped in his tracks. When Elsa looked at him, he was working his jaw, his eyes flinty. "Did you get a good look at them?" he asked through gritted teeth.

"We have the woman in custody," Heinrick said, "and we tracked the boy to Doloma."

The veins were visible down Fenris' neck and his arm was stiff, his fist clenched. A second later he pumped that fist as he grunted, "why can't we get a grip on this?" Then looking back to Elsa, he said, "I'm so sorry." Fenris looked about. "Hermod? There you are. Please clear my schedule and have admiral Cidatel meet me immediately."

"Yes, your majesty." He took a step, then paused. "Er, your majesty, if I may?"

"Yes, Hermod?"

"Of course we've all generally adjusted to these quick schedule changes, but your coronation is tomorrow, your majesty. I know the admiral is spread thin with his preparations also. Perhaps just convey the information for now? We're already informing him of the prisoner."

Elsa and Heinrick exchanged a concerned glance. This isn't good, Elsa thought. He needs to calm down before this becomes a reputation.

Fenris considered, then let out a long breath as his knotted muscles relaxed. "Very well," he said. "I'll leave that with you. I'd like to discuss it with him right after the coronation though." Hermod bowed and left. Fenris looked after him, appearing scattered. Then he shook his attention back to the ones still before him. "Pardon my manners," he said as he singled out Ambrelle. "Have we met?"

Ambrelle curtsied. "No, your majesty."

"This is duchess Ambrelle of Arendelle Deep," Elsa announced with a gesture.

Since Fenris had grown up in Arendelle, it was no surprise when his brow furrowed in confusion. "Arendelle Deep... I'm sorry; where is that again?"

"Along the coast," said Heinrick. He and Elsa exchanged another glance. It was well concealed, but she could make out the smirk.

"She is my guest for the coronation," said Elsa. "She will then be traveling further south on business of her own."

Fenris still looked stumped. After an awkward pause he said, "okay then - welcome, duchess Ambrelle." Then he returned his attention to Elsa and Heinrick as though Ambrelle was no longer there. "Everything has been like molasses here for the past month and a half," he grumbled as they walked briskly. Elsa had to hurry to keep up. "It's as if everyone is surprised when you ask them to do something. Trying to find Terence's supporters has been worse than trying to clear a rabbit warren."

Elsa and Heinrick caught one another's eyes again. Elsa replied, "we got the sense as we traveled that everyone is waiting for things to be made official. Things should improve after tomorrow." Hopefully.

"I dearly hope so." He looked up. "Here are your rooms. Please forgive me - I can't linger right now." Looking to Heinrick, he said, "I need to get back down and greet your father, prince Heinrick. I'd like to spend some time with you right after the coronation though - there are things I need your advice on." He was already hurrying off. "There's a banquet tonight for the official presentation of the guests. I'll see you then. Let the staff know if you need anything." He was about to round the corner. "Oh! And you'll find this interesting - there's a Shinyo princess here." He was gone.

As Elsa's guards fanned out into her room for a first look, Elsa and Heinrick looked at one another in surprise. "Did he say a Shinyo princess?" Elsa asked.

Ambrelle cleared her throat. "Excuse me - what's that?" she asked.

Heinrick replied, "The Shinyo empire is in the far east. It's at the farthest reaches of anyone's trade routes. What a Shinyo princess is doing here, I can't imagine."

Elsa had enjoyed the past couple of days' riding, but the attempt on her life had made this day's travels nerve-wracking. It was good to be in a quiet room, on soft, still, furniture, with guards on the other side of a locked door. Elsa allowed herself to relax, and thus it wasn't long afterward that she heard a knock on her door.

"Queen Elsa -" it was Hermod's voice. "- The banquet is about to start."

"Mmmmmmmmm - thank you, Hermod." She stretched in place on the couch. I've been asleep, she realized. It hadn't been her intention, but it felt good. The staff had told her that it would be a formal affair. For her, that meant her ice dress. She was glad she didn't have to create one - she had thought to retain one when her powers began to act up. Donning it was a hassle, though. After having done so, she stood before the full-length mirror.

It was time for a crown.

She closed her eyes and built a mental image. A medallion an inch and a half in diameter bearing the crocus in relief. A pair of hoops six inches in diameter joined at a point like a clam shell. The point where they joined would be the back of the crown. At the front, they held the medallion at its top and its bottom. Around both edges, the traced outline of Arendelle's mountains, with each mountain starting at the lower hoop and cresting above the upper hoop to make the points of the crown. The highest peak, at the front of the crown, would straddle the medallion. Each peak was just a pair of lines until it reached the upper hoop. Above that, it was solid, as though snow covered. Below that, each mountain's outline overlapped the ones next to it to form a lattice. There would be no snowflakes adorning this one. The fact that it would be made of ice was testament enough to her uniqueness.

Elsa concentrated on relaxing and then brought her hands together. The air crackled. She formed the crown in a single motion as she drew a circle in the air before her. She let out her held breath as it settled onto the palms of her hands. She turned it about, examining it from all sides. She darkened the ice behind the crocus to improve its contrast. Now it looked lonely - the single medallion at the front of the crown reminded her of a military insignia. So she duplicated the medallion, in gradually smaller sizes, around both sides of the crown so that every other mountain peak now had a medallion underneath it. As a final touch she added a glaze of sparkle. She placed it on her head. It didn't fit right - the crown was round and her head was not. Also, she was used to a tiara, not an encircling crown. She reshaped it to be more of an oval and pinched off the back edge until it suited her. Much better. She stood in her signature turquoise ice dress and her new crown, her hands folded in front of her, regarding herself in the mirror. As she slowly turned her head, the crown twinkled as though diamond-studded. She smiled in satisfaction. The snow queen was ready.

The formal ballroom was on the ground floor, two stories directly below the throne room. As a guest of honor, Elsa was one of the last to be introduced. Heinrick and Ambrelle already sat waiting for her at the head table along with another older man with thin grey hair. Ambrelle wore the cream colored dress and vest with gold decor that Elsa had made for her in Arendelle. Her multi-colored bead necklace was visible between the vest's lapels. Heinrick wore a crisp black tuxedo with designations on his left breast indicating his royal status and military rank. The older man wore a simple grey suit - not really suitable for the occasion. Also at the table, Elsa was delighted to recognized Fenris' adoptive parents - Quince and Maria.

"Queen Elsa of Arendelle!" Hermod announced.

The group of assembled dignitaries rose and clapped enthusiastically, one or two even calling out "long live queen Elsa!"

The ballroom was laid out like her throne room, with a main door at one end and two smaller doors in opposite corners at the other end which led outside onto the castle grounds. There were narrow stained-glass windows at eight-foot intervals along both sides. Large wooden beams supported the ceiling, which was relatively low and flat. Elsa recalled that the walls were stone, but that was concealed by Hermod's remodeling work.

The custom here was for guests to enter through the main door and then proceed through the crowd to their table, with the head table being the furthest from the door - the longest and most noble walk. Elsa folded her hands and proceeded slowly, wearing her professional smile, her wispy train seeming to float just above the floor behind her. When she reached the table, she turned and gave a nod to the crowd. Then she sat between Heinrick and Ambrelle.

"Wow," Heinrick said, beaming. He gestured at her crown. "Where has that been hiding in the Arendelle treasury?"

Elsa could tell that he already knew the answer. She reached up and touched it with a slight blush. "It's my work," she said.

"It's beautiful," said Ambrelle, starry-eyed.

"Thank you." She turned to Quince and Maria who were both smiling warmly. "Very good to see you. How long have you been here?"

"We got in about a week ago," said Quince. "Pretty crazy around here, isn't it?"

Maria thumped him with the back of her hand. "It's been wonderful," she beamed.

The crowd resumed their quiet chatter until Hermod spoke again a moment later: "King Reginald of Mittergaard!"

The king strode in with measured confidence. Whereas Elsa's eyes had passed over a crowd of strangers, king Reginald gave nods and warm smiles to numerous people. He sat across from Heinrick next to the empty chair that was reserved for Fenris.

"Her imperial highness princess Yasmina Edo of the Shinyo empire!" Hermod announced.

"That's quite a introduction," Heinrick said under his breath as they rose and clapped.

The woman they saw at the door was around Anna's height, Elsa estimated, wearing a kimono-style dress that was a kaleidoscope of colored cloth and gold embroidery. It covered her from her neck to the floor, leaving only her fingertips and her highly made up face visible. Her black hair was coiffed up into a neat pile atop her head with an ornate gold crown that trailed over both sides of her face down to her neck. Her dark narrow eyes appeared to be fixed straight forward, but Elsa had the sense that they took everything in. Elsa guessed she was perhaps twenty years of age, but she had no context from which to judge, and she couldn't be certain how much of what she was looking at was natural or applied. The princess clasped her hands in front of her and slowly glided to her reserved seat at the table, to Ambrelle's left.

The fragrance.

The fragrance washed over Elsa. It was like being in the densest Jasmine garden at full bloom. Elsa had never smelled anything like it. What in the world? she thought. A glance at Heinrick and she could trace the same reaction, barely visible on his face. Jasmine didn't grow natively in Arendelle but Elsa had encountered it as an import, and she liked it. There was so much of it right here though that she could imagine getting tired of it. Princess Yasmina sat at the table with practiced regal poise, her hands folded in her lap. They exchanged a courteous smile, and Elsa noticed her take a fleeting glance at her crown.

"Crown King Fenris Falster!" Hermod announced.

Again the crowd stood, this time clapping thunderously. Numerous calls of "long live the king!" sounded sharply around the room.

Fenris strode in swiftly, covering the distance from the door to their table in half the time. He stood at his place at the table and gestured for the crowd to sit. As they did so, he remained standing. Once the room was quiet, he said, "Friends, Epicurus said, 'It is not so much our friends' help that helps us as it is, as the confidence of their help.' Your effort in being here for this special occasion has already been a help to me. I trust that in the years to come, we may all continue to build that confidence in one another. Thank you all for coming. Please enjoy yourselves tonight." The crowd clapped again as he sat.

Fenris looked around the group. "Have you all met one another?" he asked.

Elsa peered past princess Yasmina and said, "I have not met you, sir.

"Oh," Fenris said. "That's master Ishima. He's princess Yasmina's custodian."

Custodian? Elsa thought. She nodded her head. "Pleased to meet you, sir." He nodded back in response. She was trying to think of an appropriate way to ask how they had ended up in Falster when Fenris solved her problem.

"The princess was touring south of here when she heard word of my coronation," he said. "She expressed interest in coming, so I sent her an official invitation."

"I see," said Elsa with a smile. She spoke to the princess. "May I ask what your interest is?"

Fenris spoke for her. "She wanted to see what a western coronation was like."

Does she speak for herself? Elsa wondered. She sought for a subject she didn't think Fenris would be able to answer for her. "Your perfume," she said with a smile. "It's wonderful."

The princess appeared slightly confused.

"She only knows a few words," Fenris said.

Of course. Elsa mentally berated herself. I wouldn't know much in Shinyo either. She smiled again, and then inhaled deeply while moving her hand in small circles to draw in the aroma. "Your perfume," she said again. "Jasmine."

Now Yasmina gave a friendly nod of her head. "My mother make it," she said quietly. Her voice was high and light, not unlike Ambrelle's (when she was happy), and pleasant. Her lilting accent was unusual - not one Elsa had heard before. Yasmina sat silently for a second and then added, "she learn from her mother." Elsa caught a distinct twinkle in her eye as she said, "it is family secret."

Family secrets. How interesting, Elsa thought. "Has your mother taught you?" she asked. Yasmina nodded, but Elsa could see that the twinkle was gone. There was a story there, she was sure of it, but now was not the time or place to ask. "You are a long way from Shinyo. What brings you here?"

"I always want to travel," she replied. "My father give-" she thought a moment "-permission. I travel this year only. Then no more. So I want to see everything." She smiled, then looked at Fenris. "I travel in south, and I hear about-" she halted, then formed the word slowly and carefully, "co-ro-na-tion. I want to see. So we come."

Elsa could tell there were some phrases the princess had memorized for appropriate occasions, but her halting speech made it clear that she had to think through a sentence before saying it. She determined to choose her words carefully to help as best she could. "How long have you been traveling?"

Yasmina thought briefly. "Four months."

"What have you seen?"

"I see ... pyramids and tombs ... Petra ... Parthenon and Temple of Zeus ... Colosseum ... other things."

Elsa hadn't realized she herself was smiling wistfully. These were all places she had only seen in pictures. Perhaps she would have to leave Arendelle in Anna's hands for a year. "Do you have a favorite?" she asked.

"Fa -" Yasmina began, but she looked perplexed.

"A place you liked the most."

She nodded. "Petra."

Of all the places Yasmina had named, this was the one with which Elsa was the least familiar. She made a mental note to visit the castle library if she had the time. "What did you like about it?" she asked.

"The -" Yasmina stopped short. Her eyebrows knitted as she hunted for the word. "I apologize," she said, "I do not know the word. It is -" She stopped again, clearly frustrated.

Elsa couldn't help but wonder if their communication would be improved by using some hand gestures, but she noted that so far, other than turning her head and moving her lips, princess Yasmina hadn't moved a muscle. Her hands remained in their place in her lap under the table.

"It is valley," she said, obviously disappointed she had to settle for this word. "With temple."

At that point, trays of food were set on the table, so conversation was cut short. The food was excellent, and Elsa noticed again that grains played a much larger role in the diet here than they did in Arendelle. The champaign was excellent as well. Elsa was surprised to see Ambrelle eyeing her flute with curiosity. Thus far, she had known her to be a teetotaler on principle. Some time later, she noticed with a grin that the flute was empty. She would Ask Ambrelle about it later.

Following the meal, everyone rose for a time of socialization. Elsa obliged each person who came to chat, giving them ninety percent of her attention, while reserving the final ten for princess Yasmina. The princess kept her hands folded the entire time. She scarcely moved a muscle other than to speak, and she only spoke when spoken to. Her custodian followed her everywhere like a bodyguard, remaining only an arm's length away. Elsa would not have been surprised if personal protection was part of his role. He never spoke to anyone. Elsa could also tell that the princess was getting more and more tired. It seemed to take her more effort to engage in each conversation, and Elsa caught more and more faint frowns of frustration.

On the other hand, there was Ambrelle. The champaign had obviously liberated her. She was enjoying herself more than Elsa had seen her anywhere off the water. She flitted about, another flute in hand, conversing with anyone and everyone, and drawing the attention of just about every bachelor in the room. She was on the young side, but young and beautiful, and tonight she was lithe and dazzling - doubly so because she wasn't trying to be. Her evergreen eyes with their confident slant, the ribbon which banded her jet-black hair and trailed halfway down her back, accentuating her graceful movements, her radiant joyful face - the Siren, Elsa thought. She was willing to bet that half these men would follow her to the middle of the ocean if she started singing. Someone was going to have to rescue her shortly. Elsa picked her way over to Heinrick's conversation and waited for his attention. When she finally had it, all she said was "Ambrelle -"

"I know," he interrupted softly. "That's her fourth flute."

"Oh heavens."

"We need to pin her down before she does something she regrets."

They started to make their way towards her, but as they were going, Elsa noticed that princess Yasmina's custodian was standing alone. She scanned the room. The princess wasn't here. "Heinrick, can you handle this please?" she said. He responded with a curious glance, but nodded and proceeded alone.

The custodian was looking at the left door at the front of the room as though standing guard. On a hunch, Elsa proceeded casually to the door on the right, nodding politely to other guests as she went, but not deviating from her purpose. She slipped out discreetly. The door led to a small torch-lit courtyard behind the castle. There was an ornate railing enclosing the courtyard with a well kept garden beyond. She circled around the outside of the castle. She could tell she was getting closer - the scent of jasmine was getting stronger. She made her way at a leisurely pace along the groomed path among the trees, taking time to enjoy what she could make out in the dimming light. These trees weren't as tall as the ones in Arendelle, and she couldn't guess their variety in the dark. At last she saw her, standing next to the fence that made up the far extent of the garden. She folded her hands in front of her, then cleared her throat quietly. "Princess Yasmina?"

The woman turned her head, then her whole body. "Queen Elsa," she said, and curtsied.

Elsa nodded in response.

"I apologize," the princess said, "I do not know many words. I need rest."

Elsa gave a nod and a smile of reassurance. "You are doing well." She joined her at the fence.

Yasmina glanced again at Elsa's crown. "You are the ice-" she paused again and her lips moved through several words before she finally finished her sentence, "the queen of ice, yes?"

Elsa nodded with a slightly bowed head. "That is one of the things I am called, yes."

There was a moment of silence. "We hear about you in Shinyo. I did not expect to meet you. You are not-" A pause as she searched for the word. "Not what I picture."

Heavens above, Elsa thought. She braced herself and asked. "What did you picture?"

Princess Yasmina thought, and finally frowned. "Kōri no ryū," she said. "I apologize; I do not know the word." Then she suddenly pointed to a spot on her kimono just below her left collarbone. "Here," she said.

Elsa leaned in to see it in the dim light. It was a gold embroidered dragon. "Dragon," she said, surprised.

"Yes! Dragon of the ice!"

Elsa wanted to groan. Another title. No, I only ride one of those, flashed through her mind, but there was no way word of Enceladus had reached Shinyo so soon. Apparently her lack of enthusiasm was noticeable, because princess Yasmina felt the need to bolster the compliment.

"It is good!" she said. "It is strong! The dragon is-" she frowned slightly as her lips moved through several words. "I apologize," she finally said. Then she lifted her hand as though lifting something to eye level. "The dragon is high!"

"Respected," Elsa said.

"Yes!" she smiled.

"Feared."

She didn't answer, but her smile dimmed.

Elsa nodded. "I have been feared all my life," she said. "I do not want to be feared. But I understand. Sometimes I fear myself."

Princess Yasmina nodded slowly. They stood silently for a minute before she spoke. "I see you yesterday with the white bird. It is yours?"

"Yes," said Elsa with a smile. "Would you like to meet him?"

Yasmina nodded with enthusiasm.

"Lotus!" Elsa called. She knew she didn't have to call his name aloud, but she didn't want to have to explain it. Brace yourself for the jasmine, she forewarned him.

The whole valley reeks of jasmine, he responded.

Five seconds later Lotus glided in from the darkness and landed on her outstretched arm. He folded his wings and cocked his head at Yasmina. The dim light gleamed in his blue eye.

Yasmina was beaming. "He is beautiful!" she exclaimed. She held out her arm. "May I?"

"Yes." Elsa held her arm up and Lotus dutifully stepped across onto the sleeve of her kimono.

"Lotus," she cooed. She ran a hand down his back and looked up in surprise. "He is cold!"

Elsa nodded. "He's made of snow and ice," she explained.

Yasmina stared at her, slack jawed. "No!" she said in disbelief. Then she looked back at Lotus, studying him more carefully. "How...?" she said quietly.

Elsa shrugged. "I really don't know."

Yasmina looked back and forth between the two once more, and then held her arm out again. "Please, take him," she said.

"It's okay," said Elsa. "You can't hurt-"

"Take him, please." There was a note of fear in her voice.

Elsa contained her sigh. She held her arm out again and Lotus stepped back. She ran her hand down his back. I'm sorry little one, she thought. She released him into the night and he disappeared almost immediately.

When she looked back at princess Yasmina, she was obviously shaken. "I -" she began. She glanced around, then finally gave a quick curtsy. "Good night," she said, and began to walk swiftly and stiffly back towards the castle.

"Princess Yasmina," Elsa called after her.

She stopped in place, but didn't turn around.

"You don't have to be a dragon to be strong."

She stood still for a moment, then gave a curt nod and hurried on her way.

"Good night," Elsa added. She let the sigh escape.

A/N: Check out the awesome fan art done by Michelle Halko for Ch.15 - Convergence! It's available over at [Archive Of Our Own] /works/30298404. The only difference between this art and my vision is that Enceladus should be white with a blue eye. Nice work!